1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of automatic medicament dispensing machines. In particular, the invention is concerned with a medicament dispensing cell for use in an automatic dispensing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,919 discloses an automatic medicament dispensing machine having a plurality of dispensing cells for storing and dispensing various types of solid medicament units such as pills, capsules and caplets. Each cell includes a rotatable platen presenting a driven gear. A manipulator arm of the machine retrieves an empty vial and positions the vial adjacent the outlet of a selected dispensing cell. The manipulator arm includes a drive gear that engages the driven gear of the cell for selective rotation thereof in order to dispense medicament from the cell. The filled vial is then positioned on a discharge conveyor for subsequent handling such as labeling and inspection.
While generally adequate, the dispensing cell as disclosed in the '919 patent presents some problems. For example, medicament units sometimes cling to the housing of the cell or to one another due to static charge or moisture. Additionally, medicament units are sometimes dispensed without adequate spacing therebetween resulting in an inaccurate count by the photoelectric eye on the manipulator arm. Breaking and jamming of medicament units has also been a problem. All of these factors have contributed to a dispensing speed slower than that desired.